sunset over a pristine lake
by Liana Luna
Summary: Minato was always the silent one, so nobody would know, if something really bothered him. Let's have a look at something, that really hurt him deeply: The death of his dear friend and secret love Akinari Kamiki and their last meetings.
1. the beginning sunset

Sunday.  
Minato would always keep this day free.  
It didn't matter who asked him out and he would always curse inwardly if something kept him from visiting the shrine.  
It didn't matter what everyone thought.  
Whether Fuuka now thought he would pray to the gods, Yukari pouted, because she thought he had a girlfriend, or Junpei speculated he would go somewhere else to have some fun alone.  
Ts... they were all so wrong...

No... they couldn't know that he would go to meet a young man who was sentenced to death.

Akinari Kamiki.

Minatos heart would always clench together when he saw his dear friend sitting there alone on the bench...  
How could someone, who had such a good heart, think he wouldn't deserve to be with the 'living ones'?  
But Minato **knew** how wrong Akinari was.  
He **knew** it.  
An Arcana couldn't lie.  
And Akinari would always carry the sun inside his heart.

When Akinari heard his footsteps, he looked up and smiled.  
Minato immedately felt lighter, but the smile didn't last for long. Akinari was shaken by a coughing fit, wich made it impossibly for him to greet the younger one. So Minato sat himself silently beside his friend, pattet his back comfortingly and waited until Akinari had recovered.  
"Thank you, i'm okay now..." murmured the white-haired men, prompting Minato to take his hand off his back.  
He smiled again - the smile that Minato always reminded him of the sun.  
"So... I'd like you to cangratulate me.", he said happier than normal, "As of today, I am a free individual."  
Minato just raised a questioning brow, but Akinari looked determined into the sky.  
"Free from the hospital. ...They were going to put me under care, but now I don't have to do it."  
Akinari, his sunshine, didn't see his eyes widen in shock, while his smile slowly grew sad.  
"...I guess my body is too weak to undergo surgery. So, I refused any medication as well... now I'm just waiting for the end."  
"Akinari...", slipped quietly from Minatos lips, while he put a consoling hand on his shoulder.  
His sun however turned to him and smiled reassuringly.  
"But, I don't feel like I'm the only one being out anymore. Everyone is waiting to die if you think about it. ...Some just have longer to wait than others." He nodded to himself and looked once again into the sky. "But once the time comes, it's the same for us all. ...I'm still a little lonely, but I'm not sad anymore."  
A long silence followed, before the elder backed off a little, Minatos hand slipping from his shoulder, to fully face his friend.  
He looked straight into Minatos blue eyes, the beautiful smile once again on his lips.  
"...I want to remember what you look like, Minato... You are... beautiful... You're like... a pristine lake..."  
Minatos eyes widened in surprise and he felt blood rush into his face, but he didn't avert his gaze.  
Instead of looking away he stared deep into Akinaris grey eyes.  
Eventually Akinari got up and sighned deeply. "I'm... I'm a little bit tired today...The story is almost done, so... I can show it to you soon..."  
He took one step and then squirmed a little to send Minato a sad smile over his shoulder.  
"Thank you."  
Then he left.  
Minato just sat there for a moment before heading back to his dorm.  
Fuuka sat on the couch, laptop on her lap, and smiled sweetly at him, as he stepped through the door. "Welcome back, Arisato-kun." Koromaru came running down the stairs and barked happily before he stopped and sat right in front of Minato.  
Otherwise the Lobby was empty, so he nodded to Fuuka an patted Koro-chans head before climbing up the stairs to the first floor. Junpei was there, along with Ken. Koromaru sat down next to Ken while Junpei enthusiastically raised his hand for a cheerful greeting. "Yo! Whazzup, bro? Where did you've gone?" Ken, who wasn't nearly as talkative as Junpei, just nodded his welcome. Minatos answer stayed short, even through Junpei wouldn't believe him.  
"The shrine."  
"Stop kidding me! NOBODY goes to stay at a dusty old shrine from early in the morning 'til night!"  
Minato just smiled a little, shook his head and headed down the hall to finally get some rest.  
But even trough he got to bed early, he couldn't sleep.  
His mind was circling around Akinaris words.  
He had **refused** the surgery.  
He had **refused** any further medical care.  
Sure, the medical care had limited his life greatly, but it also always **maintained** it.  
If he turned his back on the medicine now, he would leave Minato sooner than hoped for...  
Minato buried his face into his pillow and forced himself to think of something else.  
Soon the moon would be full again and he should prepare his team for a new strong enemy...

* * *

That's it for the first chapter ^.^  
I'm so sorry if my english is something off, but i'm still struggling to form correct sentences XD  
So please go easy on me... T^T

Second chap will follow as soon as it's completely translated XD

'Til then: farewell ;)


	2. waiting

School  
Minato was never really fond of it, but since he knew about Akinaris decision he just couldn't concentrate on what lay in front of him. Be it any subject in school or a social-link.  
While training with his kendo-team, helping out Mitsuru at the student council or visiting "Bookworms" with Bebe...  
His thoughts would always drift back to a certain white-haired young man and he would always wonder how much time was left, 'til he came to the shrine one sunday to find Aikinaris spot on the bench empty.  
It was so bad, that some people even registered his weird behavior, so at the end of the week he was called to Mrs. Toriumi.  
She voiced out her concerns about her model student, but a fake smile and a few reassuring words put her to rest and she let it slip.  
How dense they all were.  
Every one of them.  
They all would feed the lies out of his hands if he just **wanted **it. They would be blinded by a fake smile and some beautiful words and even follow him into their doom, if he wanted to bring it over them. Well... that wasn't his style, but it would be possible anyways.  
Nobody could see the mask he was wearing, that made them all believe he was only the fearless, understanding and optimistic friend and leader.  
Nobody could see that he too could be impatient, in fear or enraged.  
Nobody could see that he too could **suffer**.  
Nobody... Akinari was the only one, who took one look at him and had seen behind his mask.  
For Kamiki his eyes were an open book - no matter how hard he tried to hide what lied in the depth of his heart.  
It wouldn't be a wonder if he knew just how much he **meant** to Minato...  
Yes... because he was the only one who could see into his very soul, like Pharos would do it all the time... but the little boy was probably nothing more than his mind going crazy - a result of the long nights in Tartarus.

But Tartarus seemed to have one positive side-effect: It would take Minatos mind off Akinari.  
The higher they reached, the stronger the shadows got. So as the leader of SEES he had to stay on alert.  
He had to make sure to lead the group higher and higher every night, so he had settled for a team he was the most comfortable with.  
Akihiko would accompany him, Aigis and Koromaru.  
He didn't care for Junpeis begging to get into some action, or Fuukas try to persuade him to take a supporter with him.  
Aigis and Koromaru were the most loyal companions he could ask for - neither of them would ever even dare to question his instructions - and Akihiko had long ago proven himself as team player, very strong and flexible.  
It wasn't seldom that Minato would _unintentionally_ rip off his micro and headphones, just to cut Fuukas **unnerving** blabbering off. He could see what lay in front of him, he didn't need more information.  
More of, he didn't need to be told three times in a row how much foes he was forcing or her scared screeching, if a battle turned out the wrong way.  
He had eyes to show him that Aigis mechanism was running so hot, that stream was coming out of her ventilation, and how many foes he was facing.  
But here too, he just plays the patient leader and wouldn't complain - wouldn't even make a face - when Fuuka was shrieking inside his ears because Sanada-san was getting knocked down.  
It was just how it goes: To live or to die. To kill or to get killed.  
To fight for your life made you forget everything that wasn't connected to any action that would save your life.  
Tartarus was the only place where he could tear his thoughts from the horrible fate of his beautiful sun...  
Even if it was only for a short time... Because he would already steal himself back into Minatos mind, while he was leaving the nest of the demons.  
And he would keep the silent leader awake until dawn.

It was Saturday when Minato felt worst.  
He felt sick the whole day. His felt like his stomach was flipping itself upside down and it even got that far, that he had to sit down a few times, when he got too dizzy and his mind was slowly turning black.  
As hard as he tried to hide it, he was found out.  
Akihiko was talking quietly with Mitsuru and - after _finally_ persuading her of his distresses - Minato was told to be under arrest until he had settled down. Misturu told him how important he was - not only as the leader from SEES, but as person and friend for his teammates - and asked him - **told** him - to get rest this weekend, so he was fit for the upcoming week. She didn't seem overly worried, because she by herself hadn't seen anything wrong with her leader, but the trust in her old friend lay too deep to be ignored.  
So Minato was left with little choice and retreated into his room.  
After long thinking what he could do now - and a long thought about the question _since when_ Sanada-san could read him like that - he decided to play 'innocent online'. To his luck Maya was online, so she distracted him until late in the night, before he got to bed. At the beginning of the Dark Hour he lay motionless in his bed and stared holes into the ceiling.  
He was surprised when he felt a weight next to his feets on the foot end of the bed and see a smiling Pharos looking down to him. Minato had long ago discovered, that the little boy would only appear on chosen days, like a week before encountering another strong foe, but today wasn't one of them. In addition, he didn't say a word.  
He just sat there and smiled sadly, before he began to swing his legs lightly and stare at the ceiling. He started to quietly hum a sweet lullaby, that took Minato slowly but steadily into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

So, here's the 2. chap ^.^

It took me a little, 'cause work held me and my proofreader back, but i hope you're as pleased with it as i am ^.^

I hope to be able to upload the last chap soon...

'Til then: fare well ;)


	3. dying sun

Peaceful and long sleep seemed to be impossible, when you fear for someones live. But it seemed to be better this way, because he could slip out, while everyone else was still sleeping. Mitsuru and Akihiko could seek him out and drag him home, but they couldn't hold him from going to the shrine, if they were still asleep.  
Akinari was, to his surprise, already there.  
"Hey! Can you spare a few minutes? There's something important I want to tell you. But i must warn you: It's a little depressing."  
Appalled by the cheerful smile to such words, Minato could only nod and sit down.  
"Thank you. I've been waiting. I finished my story and wanted to show it to you."  
He smiled a little longer, until he threw a nervous gaze to his side.  
"As you know, I was having a lot of trouble with the ending, but i finally figured it out.  
Since the alligator ate his friend the bird, he cried and cried for a very long time... in fact, he was so sad, that he drowned in his own tears.  
His tears became a beautiful lake around which grew beautiful flowers and a tree with delicious fruit. The other animals in the forest came there often to relax... but none of them knew the alligator had created it or that he was gone." He hesitated briefly before turning to Minato with the most beautiful smile. "That's the ending I decided on. Even though the alligator did not find meaning in his life, the residents of the forest did. They just didn't realize it. Because... the meaning of my life is not something i should worry about. It's really what others think of my life or what I was able to do for them."  
He lifted his gaze towards the sky and brushed the hair out of his face, to feel the sun on his skin.  
"So... for me, for you, or everyone... the meaning of our lives is something that we make but don't see. People can't survive without help from others... We all depend on one another."  
There was a short pause, until Akinari chortled lightly and grinned over to Minato.  
"I don't know if that even made sense, but... do you kind of get what I'm saying?"  
The younger one nodded shakily and gave a soft: "I get it.", which led Akinari to let out a sigh of relief.  
"I'm glad..."  
He just sat there and smiled blissfully, until he reached for something next to him and took out his worn notebook.  
"This is the notebook... I wrote my story in. It's all i have to leave behind. I wanted you to have something... since you shared my last moments."  
Minato took the book with shaking hands and refused to look up, as Akinari stood and looked at the sky.  
"My... body feels lighter... Thank you."  
That's when the SEES-leader finally looked up to Akinari with wide eyes - who met his gaze again with the most beautiful smile in the world.  
"Thank you. For everything. Coming to see me, talking... even discussing the meaning of life with me... I... I can be glad that i was born..."  
He didn't take his gaze from Minato for a long time before he turned his back to the smaller one.  
"I have to go now."  
"NO!", came the desperate cry from the normally so controlled persona-wielder. He jumped to his feet and stared at him with pleading eyes. He didn't care for the tears, that run over his cheeks.  
He didn't want him to go!  
When he was leaving him now... he...  
The silver-haired wound around with a loving smile and stretched his arm out, to softly wipe the tears with his thumb.  
"Minato...", he began softly, "Maybe... Someday... I hope we meet again."  
"Akinari..."  
Minato held perfectly still, as his sun leaned over and blew him a soft kiss on his forehead.  
"Thank you... for everything..."  
The hand left Minatos cheek and without further words, Akinari turned around and disappeared into the morning sun.

Minato remained nothing but a worn notebook in wich Akinari wrote his story down He would sit there, on Akinaris and his bench, and cry over the death of Akinari Kamiki, the philosopher, his one and only sunshine...  
He vowed, that he would make sure, that as much people as possible would read Akinaris story. He would publish it somehow, come what may!  
And he would male them all see just how much some people had to suffer and how happy they all should be, to be able to live.  
Yea... and he would come back here as often as possible...  
He would visit his grave and pray every night, that he was really someday... somehow able to see the smile of his beautiful sun again...

* * *

So... that is the end I decided on ^.^

The first time i played the game i cried like a baby when Akinari died T.T  
He's so cool! And he remembers me of my big brother in many ways... they even look alike! o.O  
The only difference is the hair colour: my brother has black hair, but it's just the same length and such! o.o

Well... enough with that XD

How did you like it? Hope you're not disappointed.

Thanks for reading anyway ^.^


End file.
